Picture Credit: BCCI and ECB
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has clarified that it along with ECB would look for a window to reschedule the 5th and final Test match between India and England that got called off due the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the Indian camp.
"The BCCI and ECB held several rounds of discussion to find a way to play the Test Match, however, the outbreak of Covid-19 in the Indian team contingent forced the decision of calling off the Old Trafford Test Match," said the apex cricket governing body of India via a press release.
"In lieu of the strong relationship between BCCI and ECB, the BCCI has offered to ECB a rescheduling of the cancelled Test match. Both the Boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match," it added.
Negotiations are taking place: Rajeev Shukla
When quizzed on the possibility of playing fifth Test match at a later date, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said that all such discussions are happening but nothing has been finalised as yet. "Those negotiations are taking place," he responded to an ANI query.
Physio Yogesh Parmar contracted COVID on eve of Manchester Test
Earlier, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that the Test would be cancelled after there were reports of it getting pushed back by few days.
"Following ongoing conversations with the BCCI, the ECB can confirm that the fifth LV= Insurance Test between England and India Men due to start today at Emirates Old Trafford, will be cancelled," ECB said in a statement.
On the eve of the final Test at Manchester, physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive for COVID-19. This has even led to India's final practice session getting called off on Thursday. While all the players had returned negative results for the infection and it was reported that the match will go ahead as planned in the final update on Thursday, it is being learned that a senior player from the Indian cricket team had conveyed the board and management that he is uncomfortable in playing the match.
Most Indian players along with several of the Englishmen will now travel to the United Arab Emirates for the second phase of IPL 2021 given they test negative for COVID-19. The cash-rich league is set to resume on September 19.